18.06.2016

Vladimir Putin meets with heads of foreign news agencies, traditionally held on the sidelines of the St Petersburg economic forum, this time was chaotic. After the plenary session, discussions and negotiations, the President clearly looked tired, and journalists, unfortunately, have already been asked trite questions ABOUT trump and the “South stream”. Bored, Putin pretext that decided to interrupt the meeting.

photo: Elena Egorova

The news of the disqualification of the Russian national team in athletics has appeared on tapes of news agencies, when Vladimir Putin stood on the podium of the St. Petersburg economic forum. But I guess she didn’t surprise to him.

“I have often said that I consider the response of the WADA and the International Federation of athletics (“MK”) is unfair, the President said, answering a question of General Director of “Press Association Harry Pruitt. “There are generally accepted principles of law, according to which responsibility should be personalized, – Putin said, – If someone of your family members commits an offence, unless it would be fair to prosecute them all? Why people who have done nothing wrong, should be responsible for others?”.

However, Russia, according to him, offense is not intended and the fight against doping in spite of all do not give up.

“On the contrary, we will intensify the struggle. We have adopted all the press reports and will check on the stated facts” – promised GDP. He noted that Meldonium detected in the samples of Russian athletes, in the truest sense doping is not, as no advantage in the competition, and only supports heart muscle with increased loads. Moreover, WADA has taken the decision on inclusion of Meldonium in the list of prohibited substances, not conducting studies on the timing of its elimination from the body.

Putin recalled that the last six months, all samples have the Russians take foreign experts of the British anti-doping laboratory. And verified they are not in Russia, and abroad. “They don’t trust? And who needs to take samples, to believe in the authenticity of this work? Let our Chinese friends ask, we don’t mind!”, – clearly without intent proposed by the President.

Despite the ultimatum of the IAAF, the situation, in his opinion, could still be resolved in favour of the Russian athletes. “We’ll talk with our colleagues in the anti-doping structure, and hope for an appropriate reaction of the International Olympic Committee,” Putin said.

The President answered the questions of the editors of Reuters, canadian Press, the Spanish Agency “EFE”, the Chinese “Xinhua”.

Telling at the request of Mr. Cerrone from the Italian “ANSA” about the prospects of the gas pipeline “South stream”, GDP harshly criticized the inaction of the southern European countries in the discussion stage of this project: “What Bulgaria cat got your tongue? Well, we would go to the European Parliament, the European Commission, explained the importance of this project for their countries.” However, Russia, according to him, has not lost interest in the Mediterranean recently Italian and Greek companies signed a Memorandum of search of ways of cooperation with the Russian gas monopoly.

Putin stressed that Russia always fulfills its obligations to partners despite the problems with Turkey, gas deliveries to this country did not stop for a minute.

“By the way, we do not refuse completely from the transit through the territory of Ukraine. The question is, how are we going to transit and where,” said the GDP. In his opinion, if Ukraine will lose the monopoly on the transportation of Russian gas to Europe, relations between the two countries is likely to improve. “Blackmail will stop and we will move on to the normal business cooperation,” – said the head of state.

Although Putin has repeatedly responded to the question of who is preferable for Russia, as US President, trump or Clinton, and at least twice refused to comment on the referendum on the British exit from the EU, foreign journalists continued to insist. “Here, Obama and XI Jin Ping called for the UK remaining in the EU. The impression that only Russia will be glad, if people will vote against”, began to formulate his idea of the Englishman Marshall.

– It’s inappropriate – tacked Russia to any problem, even to that to which it is irrelevant, make it some kind of Scarecrow. So intelligent people do not do that, ” Mr Putin said. But the question about Clinton and trump and refused to answer. “Read what I have said before,” wearily he advised persistent to foreigners.

The scenario was planned that Putin will answer at least one question every journalist. However, when the list of unreached German, French and Japanese, the President suddenly zasobiralsya home. “You know, if I don’t leave now, then for technical reasons won’t be able to go from here,” said GDP, not specifying what “technical reasons” can, in principle, to hinder the head of state.

Russian journalists watching the debate in the press center, the impression that he just got bored.